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Early life exposure to an episode of extreme air pollution and lung function later in childhood: the Hazelwood early life follow-up (ELF) study

Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, but the effects of early life exposure to acute, high-intensity pollution on later lung function remain poorly understood. We assessed the association between prenatal or infant exposure to fire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from a six-week coal mine fire and subsequent lung function. 

Citation:
Graven EAM, Gao C, Ziou M, ……. Hall GL, Abramson MJ, et al.  Early life exposure to an episode of extreme air pollution and lung function later in childhood: the Hazelwood early life follow-up (ELF) study. Environ Res. 2026;305. 

Keywords:
Air pollution; Children; Cohort studies; In utero; Infant; Landscape fires; Lung function; Oscillometry; Particulate matter (PM); Spirometry

Abstract:
Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, but the effects of early life exposure to acute, high-intensity pollution on later lung function remain poorly understood. We assessed the association between prenatal or infant exposure to fire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from a six-week coal mine fire and subsequent lung function.